Engine operated fuel pump



June 21, 1932 E. A. ROCKWELL ENGINE OPERATED FUEL PUMP Filed March 31, 1928 Patented June 21, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT orator.

EDWARD A. ROCKWELL, or LONG ISLAND CITY, NEW Yonx miemn OPERATED rum. rm

Application filed larch 81, 1928. Serial No. 266,151.

The purpose of this invention is to provide an improved construction for feeding fuel to the carburetor of an internal combustion engine from a fuel source located at a lower levelthan the carburetor by a pumping apparatus operated by a moving part of the V Figure 1.

In the drawing. the engine body is indicated at A, a rotating shaft thereof is seen at B. carrying a cam, C, which is employed.

for operating the pumping device. The pump structure proper comprises a housing consisting of easing members, 20, and 7 5, suitably secured together in a unitary structure as hereinafter more particularly described. T he casing members. 20 and 50, are provided with mated annular faces. 20 and 50. at which they are clamped together as indicated by bolts. 21. clamping between them a flexible diaphragm. 50. which partitions the facing cavities. 2:2 and 52. of said members. 20 and 50, respectively. the cavity, 5:2. at the under side of the diaphragm being hereinafter referred to as the pumping chamber.

The diaphragm, 50. is secured at its center to an operating stem 25 hereinafter described,

the center area of the diaphragm being clamped to the end of the stem 25 between circular disks. 50 and 50. by means of the rivet. 50. and a washer. 50.'at the under side of the disk. 50. limiting the flexible area of the diaphragm to the annular portion of its area between the circumference of the disks and the co-operating annular faces of the housing members. 20 and 50. between which the diaphragm is peripherally clamped.

The housing member, 50, contains the upper portion, 53, of a fuel receiving chami her, the lower portion of which is formed in the housing member, 75, as hereinafter described, said portion, 53, beingdefined by an upper horizontal web,-55, and a downwardly projecting boss, 56, said boss being centrally bored, counterbored and threaded for receiving and carrying an axially hollow duct member, 57 which is screwed into the lower side of the boss and at its upper end is provided with a light disk ch eck valve, 60, seating upon the upper end of the duct member and retained in proximity to its seat by an interiorly flanged sleeve. 61, drive-fitted onto the upper end" of the duct member with its flange spaced above the valve seat at the upper end of said duct member sufficiently to accommodate the valve and its slight movement toward and from its seat. The flange of said valve-retaining sleeve is interrupted ata large portion of its circumferential extent to permit free flow of liquid past the valve at its open position stopped against the remnant of said flange.

The fuel receiving chamber is arranged for connection with the: fuel source, as indicated, by pipe connection shown at 58, and the fuel drawn in through this connection by suction produced by operating the diaphragm, 50*, for enlarging the pumping chamber. 52, is accumulated in the lower portion of the fuel receiving chamber which is formed by means of the casing member, 75,

which is arranged to be removably applied to the lower side 'of the casing member, 50, encompassing and enclosing the duct member. 57, and enclosing also a filter member, 59. which is in the form of a depending fluted bag'of suitable material such as damask secured by its upper horizontal flared margin clamped between the annular interiorly scalloped disk. 61'. by which its fluted form depending through the scalloped aperture of said disk, is maintained, and a plain disk, 62.- applied above said flaredmargin of the bag andsecured by hollow rivets, 63, clamping together the disks, 61 and 62. the total filter structure being secured by lodgement of the clamped and clamping circumferential margins of the bag and said clamping disks,

on a shoulder, 75, with which the housing member, 75, is provided, the disk, 62, being also clamped to the duct member, 57, which extends through a central aperture in said chamber contained in the casing member, 7 5,

so that the fuel enters said latter portion of the fuel chamber outside the filter member through which, therefore, it must pass in order to reach the lower end intake of the duct member, 57 in which the fuel rises as the fuel receiving chamber becomes filled, and

from which it is drawn past the valve, 60, into the pumping chamber 52, below the diaphragm, From the pumping chamber the fuel passes downwardly by way of the port, 65, to the outlet port, 66, at which pipe connection is indicated leading to the carbureter. At the port, 66, there is provided a valve seating member, 69, having at its lower end a valve seat, 70, for a disk valve, 71, held normally seated upwardly by alight spring, 7 2, permitting the valve to open for discharge toward the carbureter and ensuring its seating against reverse flow.

In the upper casing member, 20, there are mounted the connections for operating the diaphragm which will now be described. Said casing member, 20, has a hollow horizontal extension, 21, terminating for seating upon the apertured boss, A of the engine body whose aperture, a, leads into the engine casing and registers with the cavity'of said extension, 21, the latter being suitably flanged for securement, as indicated by bolts, 23, of the casing member,'20, and thereby of the entire fuel pumping apparatus, to the engine casing.

The diaphragm operating stem comprises a member, 25, which is secured, as already described, to the center of the diaphragm and which extends upward centrally within the casing member, 20. Said casing member has a horizontal web, 26, and a vertically extending boss, 26*, central with respect to the cavity of the member. 20. said boss being axially bored for affording guide bearing for the stem member, 25. said stem being interiorly threaded at the upper partof its length for receiving an exteriorly threaded sleeve, 27, which has at its lower end an interiorly projecting flange, 27 The diaphragm stem comprises, in addition to the member, 25, a stem member. 28. diameter-ed over the greater portion of its length for slide fit in the aperture of the inturned flange, 27*, of the sleeve. 27, and having a head. 28. diametered for stopping on'the under side of said inturned flange when the stem member, 28, is inserted upwardly through said flange.

description .to be as follows.

Said stem member, 28 which is covered by dust cap 20", at its upper end is threaded for receiving a stop. collar, 29, which is screwed onto said stem member, 28, and secured against unscrewing by a cotter pin, 30. A coil spring, 31, is provided suitably dimensioned for encompassing the'stem, 28, at its reduced portion and being accommodated within the sleeve. 27. The stem member, 28, sleeve, 27, and coil spring, 31. are assembled as indicated by inserting the stem, 28, through the inturned flange,'27", of the sleeve, 27, and introducing the spring, 31, between said stem and sleeve before screwing the sleeve, 27, into the axial bore of the stem, The boss, 26, projects above, as well as below the web, 26, and there is thereby formed around its upwardly projecting portion an annular seat, 32, for a coil spring, 33. which extends upwardly around the. stem. member, v28; and when the parts are assembled, as indicated, the stop collar. 29,.which is diametered for stopping both the spring, 31, and the spring, 33, at their upper ends.'is screwed onto the upper end of the stem member, 28. The spring, 31, is dimensioned for being compressed to a very substantial extent in this assemblage, that is, so that it initially reacts for holding the lower head of the stem. 28. stressed against the inturned flange, 27, of the sleeve, 27, so that the total diaphragm stem comprising the two members, 25 and 28. is normally fully extended by the reaction of said spring, 31. The head, 28, of the stem, 28, is apertured for engagement by the terminal, 81, of an operating lever, 80. which is fulcrumed at 80, near the end of the extension, 21, of the housing member, 20. and the stem member, 25, has a lateral aperture seen at 25", for admitting the terminal. 81. of the lever, 80, to the stem member. 28. The lever, 80, is of the first class, and has its arm, 82.

extending through the aperture. a, of the.

engine casing to reach the cam, C. for cooperation with which the lever has a suitable terminal, 80.

The operation of the diaphragm connections may be understood from the foregoing The normal position of the parts may be considered to be that shown in Figure 1 with the dia phragm thrust downward in the pumping chamber, 50*, for reducing the chamber capacity' to the minimum, the lever, 80, being held by the cam, C, with its terminal, 81. holding the stem member, 28, at the lowest position, whereby the spring, 33, is compressed by the stop shoulder. 29*, against the web. 26, prepared to react for retracting the diaphragm stem and moving the diaphragm in the direction for enlarging the pumping chamber and thereby developing suction for lifting the fuel from .the low level source to the fuel receiving chamber. In this normal or initial position of the parts, it may be understood that the reaction of the spring, 31, operates for holding the i two-part diaphragm stem extended, that is,

with the head, 28, of the stem member, 28, stressed and stopped against the inturned flange, 27 of the sleeve, 27. Upon rotation of the cam from the position indicated to the position at which the reduced side of the cam is presented to the terminal, 80, of the the lever, 80, the reaction of the spring, 33, operates for retracting the total diaphragm stem and moving the diaphragm, as stated, to chamber-enlarging position, that is, for giving what may be called. the suction stroke to the pumping device; and it will be observed that the force of this stroke is deter mined by the spring, 33, and is not de ndent upon any positive actuation of-the ever, 80. It will be observed that when in the continued rotation of the cam, the lever ism positivelyactuat'ed by the cam enlargement acting onthe lever, although the actuation of the lever by the cam is positive, the resulting movement of the diaphragm is not positive, but is produced solely by the reaction of the spring, 31, which is initially conditioned by compression for reacting through the sleeve, 27, on the stem member, 25,- in the direction for the fuel feeding stroke of the diaphragm; so that the movement ofthe lever under the positive actuation of the cam serves merely to release the stem member, 25, and permit it to be moved by the reaction of the spring, 31, for giving the diaphragm its fuel feeding stroke.

I claim: 6

1. An apparatus for moving liquid comprising a housing having a. variable capacity chamber with a movable wall member by whose movement the chamber capacity is enlarged for liquid intake and reduced for liquid discharge; means for operating said movable wall member comprising a twomembered stem, said stem members being engaged with each other with lost motion between them inthe movement for operating the movable wall member, and furnished with co-operatiug stops for limiting said lost motion, one of said stem members being ar ranged for securement to the movable wall member, and actuating means engaging the 7 second stem member. said last mentioned engagement being made with the portion of said second stem member at the end threof which engages the first mentioned stem member, said first mentioned stem member being apertured for admitting the actuating means into engagement with the second stem mem;

2 An apparatus for moving liquid comprising a'housing having a variable capacity chamber with a movable wall member by whose movement the chamber capacity is enlarged for liquid intake and reduced for liquid discharge; means for operating said securement to the movable wall member, and

actuating means engaging the inner telescoped stem member, said engagement being made with the stop of the in-telescoped member, the outer-telescoped member being longitudinally,slottedto admit the actuating means into engagement with the inner-telescoped member and afford said actuatlng' means range of longitudinal movement relative to the outer member corresponding to the range of lost motion between the two stem members. a 1

3. An apparatus for movingliquid comprisinga housing-having'a variable capacity chamber with a movable wall member by whose movement the chamber capacity is enlarged for liquid intake and reduced for liquid discharge; means for operating said movable wall member comprising a twomembered stem, said stem members being engagedlyassociated with each other for affording lost motion between them in the movement for operating the movable wa'll member, and'furnished with co-operating stops for limiting said lost motion, :one of said stem members being arranged for securement to the movable wall member, and the other being extended protruding out from. I

the housing and furnished with a stop at its outer end; a spring outside the housing reacting between the housing and said last mentioned stop for retracting the stem outwardly; a second spring reacting between a stop on the other stem member and said outer end stop in the direction'for holding the cooperating lo st-motion-limiting stops of said stem. members in engagement with each other, and actuating means arranged 'for acting. positively on the protruding stem member-at the inner end thereof-in the 'di-' rection for separating the lost-motion-limiting stops.

4. An apparatus for moving liquid comprising a housing having a variable capacity chamber yvith a movable wall member by whose movement the chamber capacity is enlarged for liquid intake and reduced for liquid discharge; means operating said movable wall member comprising a stem structure positively secured at one end to the movable wall member within the housing, and having a part protruding from the housing, with spring means outside the housing reacting between the .protruding stein part and the housing for giving the morable wall member its movement in one direction; a removable cover enclosing said protruding stem part and said exterior spring, the housing having an opening positioned laterally of the portion of the stem structure which is within the. housing. and actuating means mounted on the housing extending through said opening into the housing engaging said portion of the stem structure within the housing.

5. In a construction for operating a movable part with lost motion in the operating connections, in combination with the movable part, a housing in which it is mounted, operating parts mounted in the housing comprising two-stem members engagedly associated for thrust and retraction with lost motion between them. said members having cooperating stops for limiting the lost motion, the two stem members being telescopingly associated. the outer-telescoped stem memher being arranged for securement to the movable part to be. operated. said stem member being hollow from end to end. the other stem member being adapted to be entered into said first member at the end opposite the end secured to the movable member and to protrude from the end through which said other stem member is entered. said protruded stem member being reduced in diameter over a substantial part of its length. the, other stem member'being interiorly threaded, and a sleeve threaded for screwing thereinto. interiorly dimensioned for admitting the reduced portion of theprotruding member, the latter being threaded at its protruding end. a stop screwed onto the threaded end. and a springinterposed coiled around said reduced portion reacting between the screwedon stop and the screwed-in sleeve.

6. An impulse feeding device having an impulser with a two-membered stem whose members are telescoped with each other for lost motion between them in the operation of the impulser and furnished with co-operating stops for limiting said lost motion. the

inner of said telescoped stem members having an enlargement forming such stop. and the outer member having its telescoping bore dimensioned for admitting said stop enlargement of the inner-telescoped stem member, and an annular stopmember interiorly dimensioned to accommodate the inner stem member back of the stop enlargement thereof. and exteriorly formed for being secured in the bore of the outer-telescoped member, and actuating means engaging the inner-telescoped stem member at the inner end of the latter. the outer-telescoped member being slotted to admit. said actuating means for said engagement.

7. A fuel pumping device for supplying the carbureter of an internal combustion engine from a fuel source at a lower level comprising a housing containing a pumping chamber having a movable wall member by whose movement the chamber capacity is enlarged and reduced, the housing comprising a casing containing the pumping chamber having a passage for fuel inflow from the source and a passage for fuel outflow to the carbureter and two one-way-seat-ing valves in said passage opening for flowfrom the fuel source toward the carbureter and seating against reverse flow; means for producing the alternate chamber-enlarging and re- 7 du'cing movements of the movable wall of the pumping chamber comprising a twomembered stem operatively connected to the movable wall member. and a lever having its fulcrum supported on the housing, the housing being adapted for mounting on the engine adjacent an aperture in the engine casing, the lever being arranged to extend into the engine casing for cooperating with a rotating element therein for deriving vibratory movement therefrom. said two-membered stem comprising an element which is secured positively to the movable wall member. a second element telescoping within the first. said stem elements having cooperatingstops limiting the longitudinal extension of the stem, a spring reacting between them for holding them longitudinally extended to the limit determined by said stops, a second spring stronger than the first reacting between the casing and the inner telescoped stem member for holding the movable wall member normally and yieldingly at chamber enlarging position. said inner telescoped stem member having at its end remote from the movable wall member a stop for reaction of said second spring. the lever being operatively engaged with said inner telescoped stem member inwardly from said last men tioned endbeyond the first mentioned spring for conditloning said springs for their respective reactions for moving the movable wall member for enlarging and reducing the pumping chamber.

8. In the construction defined in claim 7, the outer of said telescoping stem members and the housing wall being anertured to admit the operating lever arm through said apertured parts for engagement with the inner telescoped stem member at the point indicated. V

9. In the construction defined in claim 7. the casing beingrecessed for seating the end of said stronger spring which is stopped thereagainst. and a removable cover member engaging said recess of the casing for enclosing the protruding stem member and said stronger spring.

10. In a fuel pump. a casing having a pumping chamber therein. a flexible pumping diaphragm forming a movable wall of said pumping chamber. said casing having a laterally directed open cavity on the opposite side of said diaphragm from the pumping chamher, a lever pivotally supported in said casing cavity arranged to protrude therefrom for cam actuation in one direction, a member attached to the central .portion of said dia-,

phragm and extending into said casing cavit y, a second member telescoped with respect to said first member, said members having cooperating stops limiting relative extension, acompression spring reacting between said casing and said second member in a direction forproducinga suction stroke of said diaphragm through movement of both, of said members, said lever being arranged to engage said second member at a point between said spring and said diaphragm for compressing 7 said spring through movement of said second member during the cam actuated stroke of said lever and a second compression spring tending to maintain said first member in stopped engagement with saidsecond member for resiliently producing a variable discharge stroke of said diaphragnr during the cam actuated stroke of said lever.

11. In a fuel pump, a casing having a pumping chamber therein, a flexible pumping diaphragm forming a movable wall of said pumping chamber, said casing having a later ally directed open cavity on the opposite side of the diaphragm fromrthe pumping chamber, a lever pivotally supported in said casing cavity arranged to protrude therefrom for cam actuation in one direction, a member attached to the central portion of-said diaphragm and extending into said casing cavity, a second member telescoped within said first member, said members having cooperating stops limiting relative extension, a compression spring reacting between said casing and said second member in a direction for producing a suction stroke of said diaphragm through movement of both of saidmembers, said first member being open on one side to receive an end of said lever, said leverbeing arranged to engage said second member at a point within said first member for compressing said spring during the cam actuated stroke of said'lever and a second spring tendfor cam actuation in one direction, a member attached to the central portion of said diaphragm and extending into said casing cavity, a second member telescoped with respect to said first member, said members having cooperating stops limiting relative extension, a compression spring reacting between said casing and said second member in a direction for producing a suction stroke of said diaphragm through movement of both said members, said lever being arranged to engage said second member at a point between said springiandsaid diaphragm for compressing said spring through movement of said second member' during the cam actuated stroke of said leverv and a second spring reacting between said members tending to maintain said members in stop. engagement for resiliently producing a variable discharge stroke of said diaphragm during the cam actuated stroke of saidlever.

13. In afuel pump, a casing having a pumping chamber therein,a flexible pumping diaphragm forming a movable wall of said pumping chamber, said casing having a laterally directed open cavity on the-opposite side of said diaphragm from said pumping chamber, a lever 'pivotally supported in said casing cavity arranged to protrude there'- from for cam actuation in one direction, a

member attached to the central portion of said a diaphragm and extending through said cas-' ing cavity, said casing forming a guide hearing for said member, a second member telescoped within said first member and extending through said guide bearing, a compression spring reacting betweensaid casing outside of said cavity and said second member ina direction for producing a suction stroke ofsaid diaphragm through movement of both of said' members, said leter being arranged to engage said second member at a point between said guide bearing and said diaphragm for compressing said spring during thecam actuated stroke of said lever and a second spring tending to maintain said first member in stopped engagement with said second member to resiliently produce a variable discharge stroke of said diaphragm during the cam actuated stroke of said lever.

In testimony whereof, I have hereuntoset my hand at Chicago, Illinois, this 27th (lav of March, 1928; i

' EDWARD A. ROCKIVELL. 

